My dogs suddenly fight. Why the change? Can they get along again?
Updated On September 23rd, 2025
Pet's info: Dog | Mixed Breed Medium (23 - 60lb) | Female | spayed | 50 lbs
My dogs clover (who has always been dominant) and Laika (who has always been submissive) get along really well, they cuddle and sleep with each other play and generally get along but here lately clover has been occasionally growling at Laika and sometimes starts fights. I love them both so much and I know they can get along like they have been so why the sudden change? Will they go back to the way they were?
3 Answers
Most Helpful Answer
Published on April 24th, 2017
This is one of these situations where more information would be needed to truly address this issue. I will offer you some general information and advise, but I will ultimately suggest you obtain a consultation with one of our experts or seek a trainer / veterinarian. Dogs that were getting along great but then suddenly start having problems is usually due to some type of environment change, new resource, new person, or some specific change to one of the animals involved. I would suggest you evaluate all of the above things I have listed in some detail and try to figure out if anything like this has happened around the time that this aggressiveness had begun. Obviously, depending on the nature of the dog fights, they can be dangerous for not only the dogs but the people attempting to break them apart. If fights are becoming more frequent, I would have to recommend that you keep your dogs separated until a more permanent solution can be reached.
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful
Related Answers from Veterinarians
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Published on March 5th, 2018
Hi there! Aggression between dogs in the same household is a complex behavioral issue that's difficult to address properly in an online forum. In general, I can tell you that common triggers for aggression between housemate dogs include resource guarding over food or toys, redirected aggression due to barking at something exciting outside, or over-arousal during play. If the problem is severe enough that the dogs can no longer be together at all, then I would strongly recommend making an appointment with a veterinary behaviorist. He/she can evaluate the dogs in person to help determine what is causing the aggressive behavior, and will help you put together a detailed training plan to work on the problem so that hopefully they can get back living together peacefully. You can search for a board-certified veterinary behaviorist in your area here: www.dacvb.org
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful
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Published on September 3rd, 2019
With any sudden new behavior such as aggression in normally well behaved pets, it is best to schedule a vet visit. Pain and underlying illness can sometimes lead to sudden aggression or other behavioral changes which can lead to one dog attacking another, or the dog in pain becoming overly defensive and causing fights as a way of protecting itself against the perceived pain. Having both pets checked out for any issues is a good idea. If they both check out healthy, speaking with a trainer that can observe the behavior in person (and/or taking video to show a trainer) may help figure out if there is a cause to the sudden change and what can be done to help.
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful
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